Winter fuel cut Major unions line up to push for U-turn vote

No 10 is braced for a potential defeat on a Labour conference vote to condemn cuts to the winter fuel allowance, as major trade unions line up to back the motion to reverse Rachel Reeves's decision.

- Jessica Elgot, Eleni Courea

Led by Unite and the Communication Workers Union (CWU), trade unions are expected to force a debate and vote at conference later this week to condemn the decision to axe the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest pensioners.

Unison and the GMB are understood to be likely to back a motion ifa form of words can be agreed. The timing of the vote has not yet been agreed and Keir Starmer's allies will hope to push it to the last day of conference.

Though the vote will be non-binding, a show of dissent from unions and delegates would cast a difficult shadow on Labour's first conference in government for 15 years.

The Guardian understands Starmer is expected to address unhappiness within Labour ranks over the decision to cut the payment, arguing the government had no choice given the tight fiscal situations. Unite has proposed a motion to condemn the cut that is likely to end in a revised compromised motion agreed with other trade unions, similar to a motion that passed at the TUC conference.

The initial wording of the motion calls on the government to U-turn in the October budget by "reversing all cuts to the winter fuel allowance".